Swap Days moving out of Scioto County

After more than 50 years in Scioto County, organizers with the Southern Ohio Poultry Association said Swap Days will be moving to a different county.

Daylene Bentley said the Southern Ohio Poultry Association was unable to come to an agreement with the Scioto County Fair Board to hold Swap Days at the fairgrounds in 2014.

“We did not come to an agreement with the Scioto County Fair Board concerning a contract,” Bentley said. “We are in the process of making another deal with another county. Due to not having a contract (with Scioto County) we are moving.”

Bentley said negations had been ongoing between the poultry association and the fair board since September of 2013, trying to reach an agreement.

“Our 2013 contract was the last one we had with the fair board. We have been dealing with them (Scioto County Fair Board) since September trying to come to an agreement on a contract. Our deadline came and went and we just did not see eye to eye on a contract,” Bentley said.

She said typically a contract has been signed between the two agencies on a three-year basis. When asked why an agreement could not be reached, Bentley said, “there were some unrealistic requests that could not be met. There were some things they wanted us to do that, in order to keep running, we could not do.”

She said not being able to reach an agreement with the Scioto County Fair Board was a disappointment to the poultry association.

“If we could have, we would have stayed right where we were. We love the Lucasville area and we know what it (Swap Days) does to the economy in Scioto County,” Bentley said. “We did not want to move, we wanted to work out an agreement, but it just did not happen.”

According to Bentley, the Southern Ohio Poultry Association has been in existence since 1956 and have been holding a form of Swap Days since.

“We started with a tiny chicken swap and it kept growing,” Bentley said.

She said the exact location of the move could not be disclosed because all of the necessary paperwork is not complete.

“We’re sad for the economy of the Lucasville area, but we don’t want to quit and this move is the best thing we could do,” Bentley said.

When asked if the move would be a good thing Bentley said, “It’s a wonderful thing. Where we are going is a lot bigger, we are going to be able to expand, have a lot more vendors and a lot more parking. Where we are going is going to be an awesome move for us.”

She said once the move is complete Swap Days will remain on the same dates with the first of 2014 taking place April 11-13. Vendors will be receiving information in the mail about the move in the near future.

A representative from the Scioto County Fair Board could not be reached for comment.

Wayne Allen can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 228 or on Twitter @WayneallenPDT

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